Take a picture of the good side...the left.

With the article that came out in today's Dispatch about our left wingers. I figured I should post something up about the guys. Our left winger is our strongest position...we have a bunch of third and fourth line center's who need to reach position. And, our right winger basically is all Nikolai Zherdev...soon to be Jakub Voracek. Let's look at our left winters...Rick Nash, Fredrik Modin, Jason Chimera, and Jody Shelley. That sounds pretty amazing to me.

General Manager Scott Howson described Nash:

"We now see him as one of the top left wingers in the league," general manager Scott Howson said. "But he's getting better, and I'm of the belief that he'll be one of the better players in the league pretty soon."It's true...Nash is full of potential he has only reached one season. With Hitch behind the bench he will force all the boys to be better.

Fredrik Modin, with his newly (sorta) inked contract is ours for a few more years.

"Modin is a professional player, and we needed that element on our hockey club," Hitchcock said. "I didn't want even a chance that we'd lose a guy like that."

Hitch also said that he was "wildly underappreciated" well yeah. The guy had no center...and still doesn't really. Well unless someone steps up (I personally am hoping for Gilbert Brule to prove himself.)

Jason Chimera, like the rest of the team, needs to be consistent. Jody Shelley is our fourth line winger, our tough guy, but knowing what I know about that locker room he plays in EXTREMELY important role. While talking to Aaron Portzline about him he said, that if Shelley wasn't a fourth line winger he would be our Captain. He is so passionate, so amazing, and goes out there and fives it everything he has every night.

"I would say the strength of this clubs is our wings, anyway," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "But our left side has a real good chance to be dynamic. You've got the power forward element with Nash. You've got Freddy Modin, who is the consummate pro. Jason Chimera gives you speed and size and the potential to do a lot of damage on that third line. And Shelley … everybody knows he's one of the toughest guys in the league, one of our real heart-and-soul guys."

While the offseason is good...the season really needs to hurry up and get here. I miss hockey dang it.

Meet Fredrik Modin!!

Meet Fredrik Modin, one of our amazingly wonderful veterans. We received Fredrik Modin in a trade that sent Marc Denis to Tampa also in that trade we got Fredrik Norrena. Fredrik Modin was drafted in the 3rd round 64th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He spent two years playing in Sweden and then made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs in 1996. After spending three seasons with the Leafs he was traded to Tampa where he played six seasons with Tampa and even won the Stanley Cup with them in 2004. When he came to Columbus we were quick to sign him to a 3 year contract. He provides leadership, and has that veteran voice in the locker room.
Fredrik Modin was born October 8, 1974 in Sundsvall, Medelpad. Fredrik Modin a left winger, won a gold at the 1998 World Championships, won a Stanley Cup in 2004, and won an Olympic Gold in 2006. In 741 games played in the NHL he has 205 goals and 199 assists.

Here's a video from his 400th NHL point. Jackets fans expect a lot out of Fredrik Modin come next year but Jackets fans are still waiting to see who gets the second line center job.

I have an announcement to make

Modin has been signed by Columbus to a 3 year 3.25 million per season contract. AND, Berard has been put on waivers haha...classic...although I'm sure we could have gotten something out of them.